


the eye of the beholder

by nastally



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: 1980s, A lot of bad puns, Established Relationship, Fluff, Freddie gets his happy ending, Friendship, Gift Fic, Inspired by..., M/M, Romance, Screenplay/Script Format, Wholesome, a lot of humour, froger - Freeform, naughty words and themes, some nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:33:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nastally/pseuds/nastally
Summary: Roger buys a video camera.
Relationships: Freddie Mercury/Roger Taylor
Comments: 36
Kudos: 66





	the eye of the beholder

**Author's Note:**

  * For [quirkysubject](https://archiveofourown.org/users/quirkysubject/gifts).
  * Inspired by [For The Day I Take Your Hand](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21575575) by [quirkysubject](https://archiveofourown.org/users/quirkysubject/pseuds/quirkysubject). 



> This is a gift for QuirkySubject. This was her prompt:  
>  _Froger established relationship. Roger has bought himself a video camera. He's very excited about this. Option a) the cute one: snippets of filmed domestic bliss, Freddie getting more and more exasperated. Option b) the sexy one: they make some porn. Successfully? Awkwardly? Are they super into it but the video only shows an arse popping into view every few seconds? Wherever you take this, I'll lap it up!_
> 
> Well. I decided to take it somewhere completely different and write an entirely different format. XD I do love a challenge. Absolutely inspired by For The Day I Take Your Hand. In my head this is set in the late 80s. I really hope you enjoy it! ❤️
> 
> I hope everybody else enjoys it, too!
> 
> Thank you very much to the wonderful Plainxte and BisexualRoger for beta reading!

\- - -

Static. 

Lines of distorted colour, a tape worn with time and use. A second of distorted sound, a flickering image, and gone.   
A chord. An inversion of B flat major?

\- CUT -

All silence and peace. 

All darkness. 

Something in that grainy darkness. A floorboard creaks. 

The shadowy blur of a wooden door, too close to the lens. The picture trembles in time with the soft tread of the person holding the camera and opens up into a beige blur.   
Bright, bright light. 

The aperture adjusts. 

As the camera zooms in and focuses, a window can be seen. Crisp light pouring in from outside. 

A meow is heard. 

ROGER: (off-camera) Shh! 

The camera quickly pans over to a dim pattern of spots, light and dark. As the aperture is adjusted again, Delilah is revealed. 

Delilah meows. 

ROGER: (grumbling under his breath) I said _shush_. 

Delilah gives him an unblinking cat stare.

ROGER: (quietly) I'm watching you, cat-face.

The camera zooms out to reveal a large bed, in which one FREDDIE MERCURY is currently asleep. The cat is curled up on FREDDIE'S stomach. Another cat is curled around the top of FREDDIE'S head. 

It is entirely unclear how many other cats are in shot. The camera wobbles closer slowly, simultaneously zooming in.   
The cameramanship is nauseatingly awful.

Another meow is heard.   
It isn’t clear who the culprit is.

ROGER: (whispering) Jesus, will you lot bloody shush.

At last, the camera vaguely steadies on FREDDIE’S face, from a fairly unflattering angle. ROGER gives a very quiet, disturbingly nefarious laugh. 

A hand with an outstretched index finger enters the frame. 

The cat around FREDDIE'S head decides to have a stretch. FREDDIE’S moustache twitches. 

ROGER'S fingertip approaches FREDDIE’S left nostril very slowly and then disappears inside it, startling him awake. The picture drops to the duvet for a moment. A mumbled “the fuck” can be heard over plain evil snickering in the foreground.

The camera returns to FREDDIE’S face in an off-putting close up. He is now sitting up in bed, the look on his face one of sleep-addled, murderous disbelief.

ROGER: (excitedly) Look what I bought!

FREDDIE blinks blearily and lowers his face into his hand with a groan.

\- CUT -

A door frame, leading to a brightly illuminated bathroom. It contains FREDDIE in a pair of red satin shorts, standing with his back turned and brushing his teeth over the sink. The camera zooms in on the mirror, attempting but failing to properly focus on his face. FREDDIE notices and removes the toothbrush from his mouth, narrowing his eyes. He is, however, smirking a little.

ROGER’S low chortle is heard off-camera.

FREDDIE: You’re a bloody nuisance.

FREDDIE sticks his tongue out in the mirror and disappears out of frame. The door is slammed shut. Darkness.

ROGER (sadly): Aw.

\- CUT -

ROGER’S face takes up the entire frame, shortly followed by a flash of bleached blond hair as he looks over his shoulder, before turning back around with a grin. 

ROGER: Fred.

ROGER’S face moves aside, still half in frame. The end of a sofa is revealed behind him. FREDDIE sits leaning on the armrest, a newspaper in his hands, one leg crossed over the other. He is wearing a red, white and black kimono.

FREDDIE: Yes?

ROGER’S grin grows impossibly wider.

ROGER: I’m on top of things. 

FREDDIE: (absently) Lovely, dear.

ROGER: Would you like to be one of them?

FREDDIE lowers the paper and looks up while Roger bursts out laughing.

FREDDIE: (somewhere between irritation and amusement) Roger! Will you get that fucking thing out of my-

\- CUT -

The camera slowly moves down a corridor. 

Piano music can be heard. It gradually becomes louder as the camera approaches an archway and pans across to reveal a large sitting room with a grand piano. 

FREDDIE is sitting at the piano, dressed in his kimono. He is improvising a melancholy tune, unaware of the camera. 

It moves closer steadily and then stops.

FREDDIE plays. 

After some time, the camera zooms in until FREDDIE’S dynamic, fluidly moving form fills the whole frame.

Seconds pass. 

The camera barely moves, other than jerking this side and that minutely, following glimpses of FREDDIE’S hands on the keys on either side. The melody gains momentum, and turns triumphant, transitioning into a major key. 

\- CUT -

A garden filled with people, chatter and laughter. The camera moves through the crowd rapidly. Some turn to look. Was that Elton John? A blur of colours and voices.

The frame catches BRIAN'S smiling face amidst others and shakily lingers on him for a moment. He notices and smiles, raising a half-empty pint glass. Something waist-high - a child - runs into him at considerable speed and he has to steady his grip on both the glass and the plate of grilled vegetables he's holding. 

ROGER: (off camera) Whoops!

The camera moves in a different direction and zooms in at the same time until it stops - more shakily still - on an open barbecue and JOHN behind it. He is double-wielding tongs. FREDDIE is beside him, in shorts and a bright yellow sleeveless shirt. He is also holding a drink and talking animatedly. A blur of a person crosses through the frame. JOHN is laughing and nodding as he looks at FREDDIE.

ROGER: (shouting off-camera) Hey, Deaks! DEAKY!

Both FREDDIE and JOHN look at him. FREDDIE breaks into a toothy smile and waves very enthusiastically. He is a bit merry. Two more shadows cross through the frame, going the other way. The camera moves aside a little and catches JOHN as he picks two burger patties up off the grill with his tongs, holding them up to his head like Mickey Mouse ears.

ROGER laughs out loud behind the camera. FREDDIE’S hearty laughter carries all the way across the garden.

\- CUT -

JOHN, backlit by a set of fairy lights gracing a tall garden fence. He’s squinting a little, a mellow sort of smile on his face.

ROGER: (off-camera) John Deacon, ladies and gentlemen.

JOHN’S smile widens and he sips his beer, bobbing his head a little. The faint sound of music and a multitude of voices can be heard in the background.

ROGER: John.

JOHN: Roger.

ROGER: Tell a joke.

JOHN snorts into his pint.

ROGER: (rasping) A dirty joke.

JOHN laughs out loud.

JOHN: Are you actually filming this?

FREDDIE: (off-camera) He’s _always_ got it on, it’s a pain in the-

ROGER: (clearly inebriated) Goddammit, Deaky, tell me a joke! Your audience demands entertainment!

BRIAN: (off-camera) No, we don’t! We demand more beers!

ROGER: Shut up, May.

FREDDIE: (off-camera) So _rude_.

JOHN chuckles and wipes his face. 

JOHN: Alright, alright. So. 

JOHN clears his throat. 

JOHN: A guy sleeps with a cheap hooker and gets the crabs. So he goes-

FREDDIE: (off-camera) Is this an account of real events?

BRIAN guffaws loudly.

JOHN: (burst out laughing) Piss off, Freddie!

ROGER: (off-camera) Yeah, stop interrupting. _God._

JOHN: (sips his drink) Where was I?

ROGER: (snickering) You got the crabs.

Laughter is heard in the background. JOHN holds two fingers up at ROGER and walks out of frame. The camera pans around quickly.

ROGER: Wait! No! Tell me the damn joke- Hey, come on, start again!

\- CUT -

ROGER’S face, or rather half of it, in close up. He is grinning mischievously and walking backwards. Behind him, a kitchen table comes into view. FREDDIE is sitting down, holding a cup of tea and watching him with a mixture of exasperation and suspicion.

ROGER: Good morning!

FREDDIE: (dryly) We got out of bed together half an hour ago.

ROGER: (undeterred) Hey, Freddie?

FREDDIE sighs. 

FREDDIE: Yes, Roger?

ROGER: You smell like a bag of rubbish.

FREDDIE sits up straight and gapes at him, clanking his cup down onto the saucer.

ROGER: (barely holding it together) Can I take you out?

FREDDIE rolls his eyes so hard he has to close them and snorts laughing, hiding his face in his hand.

ROGER gives the camera a thumbs up.

\- CUT -

The camera zooms in on two cats lying beside each other on a rug, one black as night and one a tortoiseshell. They’re lazily playing, pawing at one another and rolling around.

A soft chuckle and a contented hum is heard off-camera. The tortoiseshell sinks her claws into the black cats nose and bites him, making him roll away and jump up with a high-pitched mewing sound.

FREDDIE gasps.

FREDDIE: (off-camera) Delilah! You little minx.

Both of the cats turn to look at him with their large eyes. The black cat turns away and wanders off, waving his tail.

FREDDIE: (tuts) Oh, don’t pout. Goliath!

The cat ignores him and disappears out of frame. The camera centres on Delilah.

FREDDIE: (off-camera) Now, see what you’ve done? What was that for, hmm?

Delilah is busy licking her paw and then looks up again with a slow blink.

FREDDIE: (coos) Oh, I love you, too!

ROGER: (off-camera, distant) What?

The camera loses its frame, tilting sideways.

FREDDIE: (shouting) Nothing!

ROGER: What?!

FREDDIE huffs in annoyance.

FREDDIE: (yelling) I’M TALKING TO THE CATS!

A moment of silence in which the camera pans back to Delilah, who is now grooming herself.

FREDDIE: (quietly, a smile in his voice) I do love him, as well.

Delilah looks up, tongue sticking out.

FREDDIE giggles.

FREDDIE: Don’t be jealous, darling, it doesn’t suit you.

\- CUT -

Most of ROGER'S devilishly delighted face is in frame. Laughter lines around his eyes, twinkling with mirth. He is backing into a large bathroom, where FREDDIE is shaving.

FREDDIE notices him and does a double take, then shakes his head with a huff of laughter and continues shaving.

FREDDIE: Go on.

ROGER: Your bone structure is _amazing_.

FREDDIE: (coquettish) Why, thank you, dear.

ROGER sticks his tongue out between his teeth, trying not to laugh. 

ROGER: It’s giving _my_ bone structure!

FREDDIE stops everything and looks at him for a moment, then bends over the sink wheezing with laughter.

\- CUT -

A view of a garden from a window. The camera briefly follows a cat walking across the lawn and lingers on colourful flower beds. Then it finds a driveway where a silver vintage car is parked. The bonnet is raised, the back of a man in an old t-shirt that used to be white but has gone grey with time just visible underneath. He is wearing scruffy blue jeans and a pair of trainers. The camera stays on him for a good half a minute and then slowly zooms in on his backside.

An appreciative hum is heard.

The camera zooms out again as ROGER ducks out from underneath the bonnet, wiping his forehead on his arm and stretching his back.

\- CUT -

Half of FREDDIE’S face is in frame but not in focus, at an awkward angle. His mouth is almost entirely out of frame but it is obvious that he is smirking. Behind him, ROGER is lying in bed on top of the duvet, frowning over a book in deep concentration. He is wearing his glasses.

FREDDIE sits down on the bed.

FREDDIE: Roger.

ROGER does not look up.

ROGER: Yeah? 

FREDDIE: Rog-

FREDDIE starts giggling before he manages to get a word out and that draws Roger's attention. When he looks up and sees the camera, a slow grin spreads across his face. He raises an eyebrow.

ROGER: ...Yeees?

FREDDIE leans back a little and draws a deep breath. 

FREDDIE: (saucily) Darling, would you be a gentleman and push in my stool? 

Roughly two seconds pass. ROGER stares, then grimaces, appalled. 

ROGER: What- 

FREDDIE shrieks with laughter and covers his mouth with one hand. He's slowly turning quite red. 

ROGER: Oh my _God_! Jesus- Freddie! 

FREDDIE has almost entirely disappeared behind his hand and the camera is starting to tilt to the side. 

ROGER takes off his glasses and gives him a look somewhere between disgust, amusement and utter disbelief. 

ROGER: (laughing) Christ Almighty! 

FREDDIE: (now off-camera, giggling but also mildly panicked) How the fuck do I erase thi-

\- CUT -

Starship's power ballad _Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now_ is playing, although it can barely be heard over the very loud singing. 

ROGER and FREDDIE are in frame, arms slung around each other's shoulders. They're back-lit by fairy lights on a garden fence and swaying, projecting at each other very loudly and theatrically, with little regard for pitch. It's more of a sing-off than a duet. 

ROGER & FREDDIE: _...LET 'EM SAY WE'RE CRAZY! WHAT DO THEY KNOW?! PUT YOUR HANDS AROUND ME, BABY, DON'T EVER LET GOOOO! LET THE WORLD AROUND US… JUST FALL APART! BABY, WE CAN MAKE IT IF WE'RE HEART TO HEA-AAHH-RT!_

JOHN is heard snickering off-camera and the picture wobbles. 

BRIAN stumbles into frame with a beer in his hand and joins in on the chorus. FREDDIE slings an arm around his neck, almost knocking their heads together as BRIAN bends over sideways to accommodate it. 

ROGER, FREDDIE & BRIAN: _...AND IF THIS WORLD RUNS OUT OF LOVERS, WE'LL STILL HAVE EACH OTHER! NOTHING'S GONNA STOP US, NOTHING'S GONNA STOP US!_

ROGER and FREDDIE enter a fierce wailing competition on the 'ooohh's. BRIAN winces, trying to free himself from Freddie's very firm embrace. ROGER hits a note high enough to shatter crystal before his voice cracks quite terribly. Laughing hysterically, FREDDIE leans into BRIAN and smooches him on the cheek, before he releases him and grabs ROGER'S face, planting a very passionate kiss on him. 

JOHN: (laughing awkwardly) Oookay. 

The camera quickly pans away. 

\- CUT -

ROGER steps back from the camera and disappears out of frame. It isn't entirely clear if he was wearing any clothes or not. The bed is revealed.

For once the camera is completely stationary, facing the foot of the bed. Reclining diagonally across it is FREDDIE. He is lying on his side with his head propped up on one hand. He's only wearing his red silk shorts and a naughty grin on his face as his eyes follow ROGER, who reappears at the left side of the frame by FREDDIE'S feet. 

ROGER is, indeed, not wearing any clothes. He glances at the camera with a smirk and crawls onto the bed, on top of FREDDIE, in a rather predatory manner. FREDDIE cups the back of his neck and pulls him close as he leans back, crashing their lips together. One of his hands snakes between ROGER'S legs, stroking him, while ROGER breaks the kiss and licks his way down the side of FREDDIE'S neck. Head turning towards the camera, FREDDIE peers at it through his lashes and moans breathily. Then does it again, and again, increasingly louder. ROGER snorts into his neck and comes up to look at him. FREDDIE turns to him. 

FREDDIE: (taken off-guard) What? 

ROGER: (on the verge of laughter) Can you stop acting? 

FREDDIE lifts himself up on his elbows. 

FREDDIE: (affronted) I'm not…! 

FREDDIE throws a sideways glance at the camera. 

FREDDIE: Look, you can’t point that thing at me and expect me not to-

The rest is unintelligible as ROGER collapses back into the crook of his neck with a chuckle and wraps him in a hug. 

\- CUT -

FREDDIE is kneeling on the sofa naked, hands on one armrest, flushed and breathing hard. He is looking impatiently to the person behind the camera. The camera is moved back a bit, the frame adjusted slightly. 

FREDDIE: (breathless) Come the fuck _on_. 

FREDDIE drops his head between his arms, the muscles of his arms and shoulders tensing as ROGER'S lower half moves into frame behind him, cock in hand. He plants his other hand on FREDDIE'S arse and squeezes, positioning himself behind him, one knee up on the sofa. 

A white-pink blur of a cat nose and whiskers obscures the frame. Sniffing noises are heard over the moaning in the background. 

ROGER: (panting) Lily, fuck- no, shoo! 

FREDDIE makes a noise somewhere between a chuckle and a whine. 

The cat nose bumps into the lens. Lily purrs and the camera is bumped repeatedly until it topples over to the side.

ROGER: Oh, for fuck's sakes- 

The room is on its side. The frame now shows a view of FREDDIE'S hands gripping the arm of the sofa, a corner of the living room and the floor.

FREDDIE: (between moans) Leave it- fuck- don't stop- oh- ah, God-

Lily wanders through the frame. 

FREDDIE'S fingers tighten on the armrest and a raspy growl is heard in the background. 

FREDDIE: Ah, yeah- yeah-

\- CUT -

Static. Distorted lines. 

\- CUT -

Exotic patterns of red and white and black flow back and forth. The frame is full of FREDDIE, sitting at the grand piano with his back to the camera. He is improvising a beautiful melody, reminiscent of the odd Queen composition one moment. A hint of Mozart the next. 

The camera is held almost perfectly still as it observes him. 

Minutes pass. 

The melody slows again and returns to its melancholic beginnings, meanders and winds itself to an end. As he stops playing, FREDDIE'S shoulders relax and he moves his head just slightly, perhaps aware that he is not alone. He turns on the piano bench and looks over his shoulder. A tranquil smile tugs at his lips as he blinks at the person behind the camera while it slowly zooms into a close-up of his face. 

FREDDIE'S smile widens. 

He looks perfectly content. 

\- - -

**Author's Note:**

> As always, let me know what you think!


End file.
